Youth Work Ireland undertook a Youth Climate Justice Project with three Members; Kerry Diocesan Youth Service, (KDYS), Youth Work Ireland Tipperary and Youth Work Ireland Galway. The overall aim of the project was to develop climate justice programmes, research and resources to activate climate justice activists from seldom heard backgrounds – focusing on settings such as UBU and GYDP. 

This project focused on increasing the engagement of young people in climate justice activities through creating an evidenced, manualised programme of developmental group work that supported young people to take a leadership role in climate justice activism in-line with the following objectives:

1. The young peoples’ projects raised awareness of and created knowledge that supported just transitions among young people.
2. Young people engaged in practical activities to address and reduce climate inequalities, including having the opportunity to contribute their viewpoints, experiences and opinions to research.
3. The project created and disseminated youth-centred tools and best practices for non-formal approaches to youth climate justice projects.

The climate justice activities with young people ran from September 2023 for 10 weeks. The young people took the lead in deciding on the Climate Justice Project they wished to develop, supported by a local youth worker. Researchers from South East Technological University worked with the young people and youth workers to document the processes and outcomes of their projects, focusing on the developmental group work activities. The project was also supported by a project coordinator who ensured the sharing and capturing of practice learning and outcomes across the three co-design programmes within Youth Work Ireland and within the Irish youth work sector. This was accomplished through online workshops which discussed and understood developmental group work practice with Youth Work Ireland members (the first of which took place in June 2023), sharing of project models and manuals for input.

Youth Work Ireland members and the broader sector were invited to a workshop/dissemination event to share learning from the project. The coordinator linked in with researchers and maintained focus on the project objectives.

Outcomes

• Young people from marginalized and disadvantaged backgrounds will relate to and become involved in climate justice activism through UBU and GYDP projects;
• Youth workers in UBU and GYDP projects are provided with evidence of the value of climate justice activities in meeting the objectives of UBUs and GYDPs through developmental youth work;
• ETB Officers and JLOs are provided with evidence of the value of climate justice activities in meeting the objectives of UBUs and GYDPs through developmental youth work;
• Youth workers in UBU and GYDP projects are provided with practice resources and opportunities to develop skills in using these resources to involve young people in climate justice activities in UBUs and GYDPs through developmental group work.

Outputs:

• Case studies of co-designed projects that will give examples of how to support young people to take action in relation to climate;
• Published research documenting leadership and other outcomes of these developmental group work programmes;
• Published manualized programme on best practice in developmental group work to support climate justice activities in UBU and GYDP settings;
• Launch event disseminating programme manual, research and project activities and training staff;
• Sharing and exchange activities to support learning/interest of young people and to promote the findings of the project.

If you would like further information on this project please do not hesitate to contact Ann Marie Spillane, Project Coordinator at annmariespillane@kdys.ie